Apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of the brakes of automobiles



M. SALLE 2,039,190

3 Sheets-Sheet l i trcrrlt-LitL-fflafizrl:33.3 =5

APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE VALUE OF THE BRAKING ACTION OF THE BRAKES OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Aug. 29, 1934 I I;7' J F H:L :L F W 1: -T F 1 .LF

April 28, 1936.

Apnli 28, T1936. M. SALLE zgwggywqp APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE VALUE OF THE BRAKING ACTION OF THE BRAKES OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Aug. 29, 1934. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 RITE-$22 1 1EEKZECEEC'L'R'LUI- w 3 1 t w 9 h 3 A Q s 2 N e I e K s R B 5 m W L M F O m E T4 U U5 m A9 E LE LM m2 A Apmn 2%, 3935. s APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING ACTION OF THE BRAK Filed Aug Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Maurice Sall, Neuilly-sur- Seine, France Application August 29, 1934, Serial No. 742,019 In France September 4, 1933 12 Claims.

The invention relates to an apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of the brakes of automobiles and is characterized mainly by the fact that the said apparatus comprises a movable driving track causing the rotation of the wheel to which the brake, the value of whose action is to be determined, is fitted, and a crank fitted with a device indicating the torque generated, the said crank driving the said track through the intermediary of suitable kinematic connections.

Simply by way of example and in order to facilitate the explanation of the invention some embodiments are described herebelow and illustrated in the drawings attached hereto:--

Figure 1 is an elevation of a first embodiment.

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Fi ure 3 is an elevat on f a se ond em d merit.

Figure 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the crank comprised in the two embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.

Figure 6 a section along the line 6-.6 in Figure 5.

Figure '7 is an elevation of another form of the said crank, one of the cheeks being removed.

Figure 8 is an elevation of the said crank with the cheek in place.

Figure 9 is the corresponding side view.

Figure 10 is a sectional view of a detail.

The apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings attached hereto comprises a track formed by an endless belt or an endless linkage track such as that known under the trade mark of caterpillar track. In accordance with the present invention, this apparatus comprises a frame formed by two end plates I and 2 of triangular shape, one of which (plate 2) is smaller than the other. The said plates are connected together by three shafts 3, 4 and 5 placed in the three apices of the plate 2.

On each of the lower shafts 3 and 4, a drum 6 and two rollers I are fitted loosely, the said rollers being placed on either side of the drum 6. The shaft 5 comprises a gear wheel 8 and a drum 9, which are keyed to the said shaft. The gear wheel 8 engaged with a chain Ill, which is driven by another sprocket I I keyed to a shaft I2, which is fitted with a crank I3.

A belt I4, which is driven by the drum 9, runs over the three drums 6 and 9. In accordance with the present invention, the crank I3 is fitted loose on the shaft I2, which carries, at its free end, a crank arm I5. The said crank comprises two pivoted levers I6 turning, at intermediate points along their length about the pins I! located on either side of the shaft I2. Between their short arms, which form elastic stops, the levers I6 enclose the crank arm I5, while their longer arms, which are subjected to the action of some elastic medium, such as the spring I 8, tending to keep them apart, and which each have their movement limited by a stop I9, act respectively on the two rods 20, which can slide and are suitably graduated.

The levers I 6 therefore serve the double purpose of elastic stops for the crank arm I5, which can turn, with respect to the crank I3, only by acting on one or the other of the levers I6, and of driving members for the indicating rods 20, which show the state of compression of the spr I8.

When the crank I3 is made to turn and drive the shaft I2, one of the levers I6 acts by its short arm on the crank arm I5 and, as a result of the movement of the crank I3 and the relative immobility of the crank arm I5, turns about its axle I'I, while with its long arm it compresses the spring I8, which presses against the other lever I6, which, in its turn, presses against the stop I9. When the action exerted by the first lever I6 under consideration exceeds the resist- .ance offered by the crank arm I5, because of the fact that it is positively connected to the wheel to be braked, through the intermediary of the track, the said crank arm I5 is moved forward. It is then only necessary to read off the indications given by the rod 20, on which the said first lever has acted, in order to determine the resistance offered by the crank arm I5, the said rod having been comparatively graduated.

, In order to determine the braking action exerted by the brake of one of the wheels of an automobile, it is only necessary to raise the axle of the wheel by means of a jack and to insert the apparatus under this wheel so that the latter is in contact with the endless track I4, care being taken to place the apparatus in such a way that, when the wheel is made to turn, the latter has a tendency to work itself further in under the endless track, then to make the crank I3 turn in the required direction and, finally, to read off the indications shown by the rods 20.

If the apparatus is suitably graduated, the resistance offered by the shaft I2, and, consequently, that offered by the brake with which the on the stop l9.

wheel is fitted, can be determined, as explained above.

The apparatus shown in Figures 3 and 4 is similar to the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2, but with the difference that the track is not composed of an endless linkage track, but by drums, the lower driving drums 6 being driven through gear wheels 2| keyed to their shaft by an endless chain 22, which also engages with the gear wheel.

The crank, which is shown in Figures '7 to 10 of the drawings, is formed partly like the crank described above. It comprises two levers 16, which are pivoted about pins I! and the long arms of which are subjected to the action of a spring I8 tending to keep them apart and pressing them, when the apparatus is not in use, against the stops l9 which limit their movement.

However, each of the levers I6 is connected by means of a connection which acts in one direction only, to an indicating pointer, through the intermediary of suitable kinematic means of connection, in accordance with the practical constructional example shown. The end of the long arm of each lever, when pivoting about the pin l1, meets a lug 23a or 231) rigidly connected to, or forming part of, a toothed sector 24a or 2412. The said sector 24a engages with a pinion 25a fixed to the end of a shaft 26, which is fitted with a pointer 21a at its opposite end. The toothed sector 24b engages with a pinion 25b, which is fitted loosely on the shaft 25 and which is positively connected to a pointer 212). A spring 28 holds the two gear wheels 25a and 25b against the cheeks forming the crank, the friction washers 29a and 29b being interposed.

The pointers 21a and 211) can turn in front of a dial 30 comprising two scales, one of which is related to the pointer 27a and the other to the pointer 21b.

The toothed sectors 24a and 24b are each fitted with an extension 3| a, 3| 1), forming levers which enable the sectors to be brought back to their original position after each measurement.

In this embodiment also, the crank arm [5 is rigidly attached to a hollow shaft 38, which is fitted loosely on the crank and through which the shaft 12, which is to be driven, passes; in rotation, the said hollow shaft is rigidly connected to the said shaft l2 by means of a claw coupling of the well-known type. The crank arm I5 is also fitted with a cross arm 34, pivoted on a pin 33, each end of the said cross arm receiving the forces exerted by the ends of the small arms of the levers Hi.

When the crank is turned, in order to drive the shaft l2 and, consequently, the track, on which the wheel of the vehicle rests, the value of the braking action of whose brake is to be determined, one of the levers l6 acts, by means of the end of its short arm, on the cross arm 34 and, consequently, on the crank arm I 5. This lever l6 turns about its pivot H, as a result of the movement of the crank and the relative immobility of the crank arm l5, while its long arm compresses the spring I 8, which presses against the other lever I 6 resting During its angular motion, the lever 16 drives the corresponding toothed sector and thus causes one of the pointers Tia-21b to turn.

When the elastic action of the spring 28, transmitted to the crank arm l5 by the first lever 16 under consideration, exceeds the resistance offered by this latter because of the braking action on the wheel of the vehicle, the crank arm I5 is driven forward. It then sufiices to read off the figure on the graduated scale on the dial 30 opposite the find,

of the pointer which has been actuated, in order to determine the resistance ofiered by the brake, the action of which is to be measured.

According to the direction of rotation of the crank, one or the other of the pointers is actuated, the other pointer remaining in its original position.

It must be noted that the pointers 21a--2'lb always indicate the maximum resistance offered, as they remain in the extreme position which they occupied under the action of the levers IE, on account of the presence of the friction washers 29a29b.

In order to bring the pointers Tia-21b back into their original position, it sufiices to actuate the extensions 3la3|b of the toothed sectors 24a24b.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. Apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of the brakes of motor cars, comprising in combination: a track for rotatively driving the wheel provided with the brake the action of which is to be determined, three pivoted means, the shafts of which are parallel and constitute the three edges of a prism of triangular cross section for supporting the said track which is thus of double wedge shape, thereby promoting the engagement of said track under the wheel with gradual increase of the adherence in proportion to the rotation, means for supporting the said pivoted means, a crank on which the operator acts and carried by one of said means supporting the said pivoted means, kinematic connections for connecting at least one of the three pivoted means to the said crank for allowing the actuation of said track through said crank, and a torque indieating device rigid with this crank and interposedbetween the latter and the shaft on which it is fitted, for indicating the torque supplied for driving said track and, consequently, the braking action of the brake provided on the wheel resting on said track.

2. Apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of the brakes of motor cars, comprising in combination three pivoted rollers the shafts of which are parallel, the center roller being on a higher level than the two outer rollers so as to form a roller track of double wedge shape which serves for rotatively driving the wheel provided with the brake, the action of which is to be determined, two cheek members in which said pivoted rolls are journalled, a crank on which the operator acts and carried by one of said cheek members, kinematic connections for connecting the pivoted rolls to the said crank and allowing their actuation through the latter, and atorque indicating device rigid with said crank and interposed between the latter and the shaft on which it is fitted for indicating the torque supplied for driving the said piv oted rolls and, consequently, the value of the braking action of the brake provided on the wheel resting on the said track.

3. Apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of the brakes of motor cars, comprising in combination: an endless band adapted to constitute a track, three pivoted rolls, the shafts of which are parallel and form the edges of a prism of triangular cross section for supporting the said endless band constituting the track which thus has a double wedge shape, thereby promoting the engagement of said endless band under the wheel provided with the brake the value of the action of which is to be determined, with gradual increase of the adher- *ence in proportion to the rotation, ,two cheek members in which said pivoted rolls are journalled, a crank on which the operator acts and carried by one of the "said check members, kinematic connections for connecting at "least one of the pivoted rolls "to the said crank "for al- "lowing the actu'at'ronofsaid endless band through 'said crank, arrda torque indicating "device rigid with this crank and interposed between the latter and the shaft on which -it is fitted for indicating the torque supplied for actuating said endless band and, consequently, the "value of the braking action of thebra ke provided on the wheel resting on said endless band.

4. Apparatus of the type described for determining the value of the braking 'action of "the brakes of motor cars in-which the indicating device integral 'with'the crank which is actuated by the operator comprises in combination: .a crank pin carried bythes'haft of the said crank, which is kinematically connected to the "track and on which said crankis looselymounted, two levers pivoted on "said crank and two :arms of which are arranged on either side of :said crank "pin and can abut against the "same, a resilient "means acting on the other 'arms of :said pivoted levers, abutmentsffor limiting the spacing apart of the last-mentioned arms of said pivoted levers, and graduated movable means on which act the said arms of the pivoted levers subjected to the action of the resilient means, in order that every time the crank is acted upon for causing it to rotate, one of the levers acts on the said crank pin which is temporarily held stationary and pivots by acting on one of the graduated movable means and by tensioning the said resilient means until the resilient action of the latter exceeds the resistance of the crank pin which arises from the wheel supported by the track, and that, when the said crank pin is actuated, the maximum displacement of the said graduated movable means indicates the maximum resistance offered by the brake of the said Wheel.

5. Apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of the brakes of motor cars of the type described in which the indicating device integral with the crank which is actuated by the operator comprises in combination: a crank pin carried by the shaft of the said crank, which is kinematically connected to the track and on which the said crank is loosely mounted, two levers pivoted on said crank and two arms of which are arranged on either side of said crank pin and can abut against the same, a resilient means acting on the other arms of said pivoted levers, abutments for limiting the spacing apart of the last-mentioned arms of said pivoted levers, and graduated sliding rods on which the said arms of these levers act during their rocking movement.

6. Apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of the brakes of motor cars of the type described in which the indicating device integral with the crank which is actuated by the operator comprises in combination: a crank pin carried by the shaft of the said crank, which is kinematically connected to the track and on which the said crank is loosely mounted, two levers pivoted on said crank and two arms of which are arranged on either side of said crank pin and can abut against the same, a resilient means acting on the other arms of said pivoted levers, abutments for limiting the spacing apart of the last-mentioned arms of said pivoted levers, toothed segments carrying a heel piece engaged by "the said corresponding p'ivoted lever during its rocking movement, two =pinions-each meshing with one of the toothed segments, and two pointers rigid with said pinions.

"7. Apparatus *fordetermining the value of the braking action of the brakes of motor cars of the type described "in which the indicatingdevice integral with the crank which is actuated by the operator comprises in combination: a crank pin carried by the shaft of the sa'idcrarik, which is kinematically connected to the track and on which the said crank is loosely mounted, two

levers pivoted on said crank and two arms of whicnare arranged on either side of said crank pin and can abut against "the same, a resilient means acting on the other arms of said pivoted levers, abutments for limiting the spacing apart of the'last-mentioned arms of said pivotedlevers, toothed segments carrying a heel piece engaged by the said corresponding pivoted lever during its rocking movement, two pinions each meshing with one of the toothed segments, pointers rigid with said pinions, friction linings adapted to come in contact with said pinions, a resilient means adapted to act on said pinions and to press them against their friction linings so as to hold them in their position of maximum displacement, and extensions each rigid with one of said toothed segments for allowing the operator to restore said pointers to their initial position.

8. In apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of vehicle brakes, the combination with a mobile carriage, of means mounted on the carriage for supporting the wheel with which the brake is associated, said supporting means comprising a pair of rotary elements offset from each other both vertically and horizontally with respect to the plane in which said carriage moves so as to occupy remote positions respectively adjoining the bottom of the wheel and at a point substantially elevated above the bottom, and mechanism kinematically connected to one of said elements for rotatably driving the wheel against the retarding action of its brake, said mechanism including means for indicating the driving force and, consequently, the braking action of the brake.

9. In apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of vehicle brakes, the combination with a mobile carriage, of rotary elements mounted on the carriage in positions offset from each other both vertically and horizontally with respect to the plane in which said carriage moves and being adapted to engage the peripheral portion of the wheel at remote positions respectively l adjoining the bottom of the wheel and substantially elevated above the bottom so as to support and establish the position of the wheel on the carriage, and mechanism kinematically connected to one of said elements for rotatably driving the wheel against the retarding action of its brake, said mechanism including means for indicating the driving force and, consequently, the braking action of the brake.

10. In apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of vehicle brakes, the combination with a track for rotatably driving the wheel with which the brake is associated, of a mobile carriage on which said track is mounted, said track comprising a pair of rotary elements offset from each other both vertically and horizontally with respect to the plane in which said carriage moves and being adapted to exert pressure upon the peripheral portion of the wheel at remote positions one of which adjoins the bottom of the wheel and another of which is located at a point substantially elevated above the bottom, and mechanism for actuating said elements, said actuation drawing the carriage toward the wheel with resulting increase of adherence between the wheel and said elements proportionate to the actuating force, and said actuating mechanism including means for indicating the said actuating force and, consequently, the braking action of the brake.

11. In apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of vehicle brakes, the combination with a track for rotatably driving the wheel with which the broke is associated, of a mobile carriage on which the track is mounted, said track being adapted by movement of the carriage on a plane surface substantially at right angles to the plane of the wheel for wedged engagement under and against the wheel and being constructed and arranged to engage the peripheral portion of the wheel at remote'positions one of which adjoins the bottom of the wheel and another of which is located at a point substantially elevated above the bottom, and said track having a fixed angular position in the carriage with respect to the plane in which said carriage moves whereby an increasing actuating force exerted on the track effects a correspondingly increasing frictional pressure of the track against the wheel, mechanism for actuating the track, and means for indicating the force exerted on the track through said mechanism.

12. In apparatus for determining the value of the braking action of vehicle brakes, the combination with a track for rotatably driving the Wheel with which the brake is associated, of a mobile carriage on which the track is mounted, said track being adapted by movement of the carriage on a plane surface substantially at right angles to the plane of the wheel for wedged engagement under and against the wheel and being constructed and arranged to engage the peripheralportion of the wheel over a circumferential area extending continuously between remote positions one of which adjoins the bottom of the wheel and another of which is located at a point substantially elevated above the bottom, and said track having a fixed angular position in the carriage with respect to the plane in which said carriage moves whereby an increasing actuating force exerted on the track efiects a correspondingly increasing frictional pressure of the track against the wheel, mechanism for actuating the track, and means for indicating the force exerted on the track through said mechanism.

MAURICE SALLE. 

